I was browsing through the (now departed, alas) Cuttyhunk Bookstore in Boston (formerly known as We Think the World of You), and of course could not resist picking up a book or three. This was one of them; it's the ninth in the "Dick Hardesty" series, and while I have a few of the earlier books to read before I can get to this one, I've enjoyed the series enough to plan ahead. [For information on the rest of the series you can check out the publishers' web site at GLB Publishers. For some of my comments on earlier books in the series, see my BC-journaled copies here.]

This ninth book in the Dick Hardesty series follows immediately on the action of book 8, The Role Players. Our heroes have just returned home from their eventful New York trip, and we get to see them distribute the souvenirs they bought there and tell their friends all about it. But soon life gets back to normal - sort of... For the last couple of books Jonathan has been making wistful comments about wanting kids someday, and so far Dick's been putting off a discussion of that particular topic. [Dick's happy enough to settle down with Jonathan and only seldom regrets his lost "slut" days, but he doesn't feel quite ready for parenthood yet.] But when the new upstairs neighbor turns out to be a single mother with a young son, and when Jonathan is asked to baby-sit his own young nephew for ten days while his parents go on vacation, the reader can guess that somehow the when-can-we-have-a-kid issue will come to the fore!

I admit that I hadn't expected quite what DID happen - Grey's stories tend to be on the mild side, but here we have a mysterious death that might or might not be murder, a vicious custody battle with ex-partners appearing out of the woodwork, and some heart-wrenching scenes that had me sniffling.

As always, Dick investigates in a sensible and efficient manner, using the phone, the library, and his various contacts to get most of the info - but he does do some field work here, and even sets himself up in a very risky situation, which is unlike him. (He carries it off well, though!)

The main joys of the story are the ongoing relationships of Dick and Jonathan and their growing circle of friends. Sometimes the whole series feels more like an elaborate blog, with occasional moments of heavy drama but for the most part just "got up, had breakfast, went to work, bought a present for my boyfriend, came home..." I wouldn't want all books to take this tack, but for this series it's rather refreshing, like dropping in to visit friends...

I'm offering this for a bookring; see forum post here.

Bookray/ring instructions:

When you receive the book, please journal it, and PM the next person in line for their address so you'll have it ready when you've finished the book.

Note: even if you've sent books to that person before, please PM them before mailing this one, to confirm that the address is correct and that they're able to take on a bookring book at this time.

Try and read the book promptly - ideally, within a month of receiving it. (If you expect to take longer, you can request to be put at the end of the list. If you find you're swamped with other books when the person before you contacts you about the bookring, you can ask to be skipped, and then let me know whether you'd like to be moved down the list or dropped entirely. If you receive the book and find it's taking longer than you'd planned to get through it, I'd appreciate an update in its journal entries or on your profile, just to let me and the other participants know you haven't forgotten it.)

When you're ready to pass the book along, please make another journal entry containing your comments about the book and stating where you've sent it, and set the book's status code to "traveling". [If you find that you're having problems contacting the next person in line, or don't think you can manage to mail the book as originally agreed, please let me know; I'll be glad to try to work something out.]

***

Participants, in mailing order:

Eskielover [Washington]
Ktbean [Canada]
rebeccaljames [Ohio] [skipped on request]

...and back to me in New Hampshire.

Controlled release:

I'm sending this to BCer eskielover in Washington to kick off the bookring; hope you enjoy it!

I received this book just now in the mail. I'm in the middle of another short mystery, then it goes to the top of my TBR pile. Thanks for sending it Gory.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The mystery was great and kep me guessing until close to the end when I began to suspect who the culprit was. It was a most refreshing book in that is looked at life from the perpestive of family in an alternative lifestyle. A life just like many american families. Sorta like mine, though mine is not alternative and much more "mundane" than Dick Hardesty's. This book is on it's way as soon as I get mailing info from Ktbean.

Doing spring cleaning in the computer room and found this book under a pile of papers and other books. It goes in the mail on Monday.

Got in the mail today. Yay! More mail for me. Can't wait to read this one.

The Popsicle Tree arrived home safely, and only slightly the worse for wear, after a short but sweet bookring; thanks for playing, and I hope you enjoyed the book!

I plan to donate this book to the ongoing library book-sale shelves in the lobby at around 1:30 or so; hope the buyer enjoys it! [Donated books are sold for low prices, with the proceeds benefiting library programs.]

*** Released as part of the 2013 Wine + Food + BookCrossing challenge. ***

I stopped by the library today to shop the book-sale shelves, and found this book still there a year and a half later - no idea if it was here all the time or took some un-journaled trips, but either way, I decided to re-buy it and release it somewhere else.

I left this book on the book-swap shelf in the Tyngsboro post office lobby at around 4:30 or so; hope the finder enjoys it!